Groundhog Day
The lowly groundhog, often
called a woodchuck, is the only mammal to have a day named in his honour. The
groundhog's day is February 2. Granted, it's not a
federal holiday; nobody gets off work.
But still, to have a day named after you is quite a feat.
How did the groundhog come
by this honour?
It stems from the ancient
belief that hibernating creatures were able to predict the arrival of
springtime by their emergence.
The German immigrants
known as Pennsylvania Dutch brought the tradition to America in the 18th century. They
had once regarded the badger as the winter-spring barometer. But the job was reassigned
to the groundhog after importing their Candlemas traditions to the U.S.
Candlemas commemorates the ritual purification of Mary, 40 days after the birth
of Jesus. For a time there was famous postcards
available that honoured this.
Candlemas is one of the
four "cross-quarters" of the year, occurring half way between the
first day of winter and the first day of spring. Traditionally, it was believed that
if Candlemas was sunny, the remaining six weeks of winter would be stormy and
cold. But if it rained or snowed on Candlemas, the rest of the winter would be
mild. If an animal "sees its shadow," it must be sunny.
Besides, spring always arrives on or near March 21, so whether the
groundhog decides to return to his den or remain above ground, the sad fact is
spring will always have to wait at least six more.